Patient story
Meet Ella
Discover how your support helps turtles like Ella return home.
Patient Info
SPECIES
Green Sea Turtle
aGE
5-10 Years
wEIGHT
17 Lbs
DATE ARRIVED
9/13/2025
ISSUE
boat strike injury
the story
About Ella
Ella was found struggling to dive below the water’s surface in Pompano Beach. Upon intake, old boat strike wounds were found on the carapace. The injuries involved the spine which caused neurologic deficiencies with the rear flippers and gastrointestinal tract. Ella floats and cannot rest on the bottom of the water column because of this.
Rescue
Ella was discovered drifting at the surface, unable to dive because of carapace injuries. Thankfully, a group of beachgoers noticed her struggling and quickly called our stranding hotline. With their help, she was brought safely to shore and transported to our hospital for care.
Diagnose
Radiographs revealed a spinal injury along with multiple carapace fractures consistent with a boat propeller strike.
Care
Due to the spinal injury, Ella’s rear flippers became paralyzed. Although they could move when stimulated, Ella no longer had controlled movement of them. As part of the treatment plan, Ella underwent buoyancy-control physical therapy designed for paraplegic turtles, which involved attaching small weights to the carapace to help Ella maintain proper balance in the water.
Fun Fact
Ella’s favorite enrichment item in the hospital tank was a set of curved PVC pipes draped with soft car-wash fabric strips. This “mitten curtain” material is durable in salt water and can be cut into fun shapes, giving turtles something safe to rub against, explore, and even curl up in for a nap.
Released!
November 21, 2025
Ella made a full recovery and was released back into the Atlantic Ocean on November, 21 2025!